This exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver afternoon teaware set consists of a cream jug, a sugar basket and a sifter ladle.
The cream jug has a helmet-shaped form and the sugar basket has an oval rounded form, each onto a spreading pedestal foot.
The bodies of the sugar basket and cream jug are embellished with impressive bright cut engraved fern foliate decoration.
The body of the sugar basket incorporates two cartouches, one remains vacant and the other is embellished with the contemporary bright cut engraved crest of a demi-lion holding a garb.
The upper rim of each piece is encompassed with an applied bead decorated border.
The silver jug is fitted with an impressive plain S scroll handle and the silver basket retains the original swing hinged handle ornamented with further bead decoration.
The exceptional sifter ladle has been crafted in the Old English Bead pattern, incorporating further bright cut engraved foliate decoration to the stem.
The handle terminal is further embellished with a further crest, identical to the cream jug and sugar basket.
The scalloped bowl of the sifter ladle is ornamented with pierced holes.
The interior of each piece, including the ladle's bowl, retains the original gilding.
This Victorian silver cream and sugar set is fitted to the original, exceptional and impressive hinged leatherette box, with satin and velvet lined interior and a hinged catch.
The interior of the box bears the retailer's mark 'Stephen Smith, 35 King St, Covent Garden'.
These exceptional examples of Victorian silverware were made by the London silversmiths Daniel & Charles Houle in 1870; these items will have been crafted in the same year but due to the hallmarking system the cream jug is struck with the date letter 'o' and the basket bears 'p'.
The impressive sifter ladle was also crafted in 1870, by the renowned London silversmith George William Adams; as often the case with such sets, this original ladle was crafted by a specialist cutlery maker.
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Maker: Daniel & Charles Houle
Date: 1870
